Toronto Pan Am Games organizers unveil medals

There are a few touchstone moments observed for every major international athletics get together like the Olympics or the Pan Am Games.

There's the hugging and cheering at the moment a city is awarded the right to host the event - and everyone celebrates with not a single, solitary objection raised by any individuals or organizations in that city (riiiight).

Then comes the unveiling of the games' mascot or mascots. With, often, a major chorus of "what the hell is that?" reverberating through the public's consciousness.

Then, the first reports of massive cost overruns.

After that, the unveiling of just what the athletes will have draped around their necks if they finish first, second or third.

2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games organizers revealed the high-priced baubles in Toronto, on Tuesday, and they ain't half bad. Not the best ever, perhaps, but not the worst either. A step up from the lamented "compact disc" medals of the 2006 Torino Olympics, I'd say. And they've avoided an initial recoil reaction, like the one medals from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics originally received. Should be noted that, after a little while, people warmed up to those Vancouver medals. Or was it just the warmth and glow from Canada's romping at so many events that year?

You can see a gallery of some other Pan Am Games medals, through the years, here. Whether you think Toronto's out do the others might depend on your sensibilities. Like a more traditional look? Mexico, 2003, is probably for you. Something modern and eccentric? Rio de Janeiro, 2007 might be your style. To me, these Toronto 2015 medals fall in between.

Medals have become a big part of a games' identity and backers usually agonize over the designs for months before making a final decision. Time was that just having a round disc of pure gold was good enough for everybody, but that time has long passed and medals now need to have a thought-provoking design and a detailed story on what they mean. Bingo, on all accounts for the Toronto 2015 folks.

A Pan Am Games medal back story, or at least, part of it, from today's media release:

So, this is a medal with a bit of a complicated personality.

While it celebrates diversity and includes the design of a Métis artist, it's made of materials reaped from an industry that has had a less than stellar history when it comes to its reputation for treatment of natives who might just happen to live in mineral rich areas.

“I still feel a sense of pride and accomplishment every time I share my gold medal from Barcelona," said former Olympic swimmer Mark Tewksbury, who hosted today's unveiling. “These Toronto 2015 medals are pieces of art in their own right, and reflect all the hard work, dedication and the difficult journey athletes will take to wear one around their neck and cherish for life.”

Indeed. Because whatever the medal looks like, and whatever it's meant to symbolize in the minds of its designers and producers, it will represent something pretty singular to its winners and those who see it hanging around their neck: Champion.

The Pan Am Games will be held from July 10th-26th, with the Parapan Am Games following between August 7th and 15th.